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South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Jess Learmonth racing for her son at T100 San Francisco
The 37-year-old made her T100 Triathlon World Tour debut in Singapore in April, returning to competitive action following the birth of her son in 2023, and finished 13th. Learmonth made an instant impact in the Singaporean heat, leading after both the swim and bike, before a brutal run leg saw her slip out of pole position and to the middle of the field. However, despite battling hot conditions and being forced to stop and walk for long periods of time, Learmonth felt there were still plenty of positives to take from her first outing of the season. "I went in with zero expectation or knowledge of how I will race," she said. "You can train as much as you want but if you've not raced at this level for four years, you have no idea where you'll sit. "I was so happy with the swim and the bike and where I was. San Francisco T100 race week 🙌 Watch the racing live on PTO+ on 31 May 📺 👉 — T100 Triathlon World Tour (@t100triathlon) May 26, 2025 "Obviously the run was diabolical but to actually be up there and be involved was a really positive thing for me, and it helped me gain a little bit more confidence with the training I've been doing. "Looking from the outside, it could look pretty disastrous as a race result, but I definitely had positive takeaways from it. "I just need to not race in such heat, and which is going to be the complete opposite this weekend." Learmonth now suits up for the second leg of the season in San Francisco, a circuit known for it's cold swim, hilly course and windy conditions. It's an exciting new challenge for the Brit, who usually favours colder conditions and is based in Leeds for her training. And with her husband John and son Fred on the sidelines this time round, Learmonth is equipped with a fresh sense of perspective. "Fred didn't come to Singapore, and although it was easier logistically without him there, you have anxiety because you're not with him," she said. "This time he has come, and it was a bit more stressful with the 12-hour flight with a toddler, but it's lovely having him here. "When I was struggling in Singapore, it was Fred and family and friends in my mind that kept me going, "When I was an athlete before having him, it was all on me, whereas now I have so much more support from people looking after Fred so I can train. They're sacrificing a lot for me to come and race, so there's so much more riding on the races that I do now. "For me to not finish just felt like a failure. I just didn't want to let them down in a way. That's basically what kept me going." Preparation for the San Francisco event has been full of ups and downs for Learmonth, who has been rehabbing a calf tear that she picked up just six weeks ago during training. But with so little race experience over the last four years, she is just excited to get back on the start line. "I'm here to gain consistency and get some races under my belt," she said. "Any race I do, because I've not done so many in the last four years, I'm going to gain experience and knowledge and learn from. "I'm hoping to have a similar swim, bike, and then just improve that run, and be a bit more competitive to then build on that during the rest of the season." Watch the world's top 20 female and top 20 male triathletes race live in the San Francisco T100 over the legendary Escape From Alcatraz course on Saturday 31 May. The broadcast starts at 0545 local time, 1345 in the UK, with the races starting 15 minutes later. You can tune in live for free globally on PTO+ or watch on partners channels such as TNT Sports 2 in the UK, Max or Discovery+ in Europe, or beIN in North America. For more details visit
South Wales Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Taylor Knibb aiming to find freedom in success at T100 San Francisco
The American will race her first T100 of the season on home soil after winning all four of her races to take the inaugural world title in 2024. After becoming a double-sport Olympian at Paris 2024, racing in the triathlon and the cycling time trial, Knibb has shown her prowess but now faces a target on her back ahead of a new season. '[Being a target is] a privilege, so I'll take it. But I don't think it helps me in any way, unless I harness it effectively,' the 27-year-old explained. 'Success can either trap you or free you. It's easier for it to trap you. That's the question I had to ask myself and my team is how do we give this freedom. 'It gave me the freedom to be able to say, 'No, it's not smart for me to go to Singapore and still get to race the series.' That's one of the biggest freedoms it's given me so far.' 🔥 SAN FRANCISCO T100 WOMEN'S START LIST 🔥 Eleven contracted athletes step up to the San Francisco start line on 31 May for the second stop in the Race To Qatar 🇶🇦 Knibb achieved a silver medal in the mixed relay triathlon at Paris 2024, but she was left disappointed with her individual events. 'My biggest goal was actually the individual race, which was a complete disaster,' she assessed. 'I've had to process it a lot and work through it. It was a massive disappointment. 'With my individual races, people like to show you the silver lining - no pun intended. They're like, 'But you still got a medal.' And it's like, well, I didn't have the two races that I wanted to in the individual races. 'You just keep learning and keep growing. I hope to be in LA so we'll see.' For the three-time Ironman 70.3 World Champion, the T100 events provide a perfect event to continue to hone her craft. Knibb believes the series raises the level of the sport across the board, making it important for leading athletes like her to remain part of it. 'I'm very grateful for the T100 because they are giving the pros what they want, which is more fair racing. And second of all, it's forcing Ironman to be bigger and better,' she explained. 'It's like a rising tide lifts all ships. That's what the T100 series is doing for the sport across WTCS (World Triathlon Championship Series) racing and Ironman racing. That's why it's important for me to race it and be a part of it. 'The T100 goal is to bring triathlon to mainstream media and be a bigger sport. If there are more fans, more people watch WTCS and Ironman racing. If the T100 wins, the whole sport wins.' Watch the world's top 20 female and top 20 male triathletes race live in the San Francisco T100 over the legendary Escape From Alcatraz course on Saturday 31 May. The broadcast starts at 0545 local time, 1345 in the UK, with the races starting 15 minutes later. You can tune in live for free globally on PTO+ or watch on partners channels such as TNT Sports 2 in the UK, Max or Discovery+ in Europe, or beIN in North America. For more details visit
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
T100 world champion Van Riel aiming to replicate 'dream' victory
T100 world champion Marten Van Riel is targeting more San Francisco success having raced to a 'dream' victory in a thrilling sprint finish at the event last year. The Belgian, who claimed the inaugural T100 world title last year, took victory on the West Coast on the line in 2024, winning a three-man sprint by 0.01 seconds. Now, Van Riel is hoping he can replicate the magic of that performance as he looks to get his season into full swing after a third-place finish in Singapore. 'It was honestly a dream last year to take the victory, and I'm ready to defend it this year. I love the race, I love the location. The course is, in my opinion, the best on the circuit,' the 32-year-old said. '[Last year] was incredible, that's what we live for. It's a three-hour-plus race, and it comes down to less than a second with three of us. 'If I would have finished third in that case, I would be very frustrated. But now it's magical. 'That's what you get when you put the best in the world together. You're going to get close races like that. That was very cool.' 🔥 VANCOUVER T100 MEN'S START LIST 🔥 The contracted athletes rolling up to Vancity when the T100 hits Canada for the very first time 🇨🇦 Catch all the action live on PTO+ on Saturday 14 June 📺 READ MORE: — T100 Triathlon World Tour (@t100triathlon) May 13, 2025 Van Riel will head to the USA in better shape than the season opener in Singapore having raced an Ironman just a week before. But he will take confidence from the mettle he showed in both performances, finishing second in the Ironman before claiming a second podium place with third in Singapore. 'That was obviously very, very hard and not the easiest combination. In the end, it did work out well with two very solid results that I could be happy with,' reflected Van Riel. 'I was just drained the whole time. It was only just in time, like one or two days before the race, that I started really turning it around and feeling good again. So I wouldn't recommend it, but I'm happy that it turned out well. 'Beforehand I thought, 'Okay, I can do it.' But you always think you're Superman before a race. Once I finished the Ironman, I was thinking 'How am I going to do this?' 'To turn up and take that third place, that was incredible. It really motivates me and I have the feeling that I can still build throughout this season and get my level higher. 'If I could already finish third there, hopefully I can play even higher stakes in the next races.' Having finished with the highest points total across the T100 races last season to claim the world title, taking three victories, Van Riel is acutely aware that he has set the standard for others. But after a training camp in Sierra Nevada, he is not accepting any excuses as he aims to defend his title with a target on his back. 'All the other athletes saw last year, what my level was and that level was the level that took the world title,' said Van Riel. 'Every time someone does really good performances, if you give it some time, other people are going to be catching up. That's just the game. 'It's going to be a lot harder this year, but I'm excited to battle it out with these guys and try to stay on top.' Watch the world's top 20 female and top 20 male triathletes race live in the San Francisco T100 over the legendary Escape From Alcatraz course on Saturday 31 May. The broadcast starts at 0545 local time, 1345 in the UK, with the races starting 15 minutes later. You can tune in live for free globally on PTO+ or watch on partners channels such as TNT Sports 2 in the UK, Max or Discovery+ in Europe, or beIN in North America. For more details visit
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
T100 world champion Van Riel aiming to replicate 'dream' victory
T100 world champion Marten Van Riel is targeting more San Francisco success having raced to a 'dream' victory in a thrilling sprint finish at the event last year. The Belgian, who claimed the inaugural T100 world title last year, took victory on the West Coast on the line in 2024, winning a three-man sprint by 0.01 seconds. Now, Van Riel is hoping he can replicate the magic of that performance as he looks to get his season into full swing after a third-place finish in Singapore. 'It was honestly a dream last year to take the victory, and I'm ready to defend it this year. I love the race, I love the location. The course is, in my opinion, the best on the circuit,' the 32-year-old said. '[Last year] was incredible, that's what we live for. It's a three-hour-plus race, and it comes down to less than a second with three of us. 'If I would have finished third in that case, I would be very frustrated. But now it's magical. 'That's what you get when you put the best in the world together. You're going to get close races like that. That was very cool.' 🔥 VANCOUVER T100 MEN'S START LIST 🔥 The contracted athletes rolling up to Vancity when the T100 hits Canada for the very first time 🇨🇦 Catch all the action live on PTO+ on Saturday 14 June 📺 READ MORE: — T100 Triathlon World Tour (@t100triathlon) May 13, 2025 Van Riel will head to the USA in better shape than the season opener in Singapore having raced an Ironman just a week before. But he will take confidence from the mettle he showed in both performances, finishing second in the Ironman before claiming a second podium place with third in Singapore. 'That was obviously very, very hard and not the easiest combination. In the end, it did work out well with two very solid results that I could be happy with,' reflected Van Riel. 'I was just drained the whole time. It was only just in time, like one or two days before the race, that I started really turning it around and feeling good again. So I wouldn't recommend it, but I'm happy that it turned out well. 'Beforehand I thought, 'Okay, I can do it.' But you always think you're Superman before a race. Once I finished the Ironman, I was thinking 'How am I going to do this?' 'To turn up and take that third place, that was incredible. It really motivates me and I have the feeling that I can still build throughout this season and get my level higher. 'If I could already finish third there, hopefully I can play even higher stakes in the next races.' Having finished with the highest points total across the T100 races last season to claim the world title, taking three victories, Van Riel is acutely aware that he has set the standard for others. But after a training camp in Sierra Nevada, he is not accepting any excuses as he aims to defend his title with a target on his back. 'All the other athletes saw last year, what my level was and that level was the level that took the world title,' said Van Riel. 'Every time someone does really good performances, if you give it some time, other people are going to be catching up. That's just the game. 'It's going to be a lot harder this year, but I'm excited to battle it out with these guys and try to stay on top.'
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Ashleigh Gentle keen to bounce back in San Francisco T100
The Australian had previously won twice in Singapore but was unable to replicate her achievements amidst the stifling heat of this year's race, finishing sixth, almost 10 minutes behind T100 debutant Kate Waugh. Saturday's San Francisco showpiece will be hosted at the iconic Escape from Alcatraz course and Gentle is relishing the opportunity to make amends. She reflected: "Singapore was an interesting one because I felt like I'd done a lot of really good training before the race and I didn't expect to be so far behind my usual mark. "I rode the worst I'd ridden since I moved to middle distance and was so far off my best in the run. "It wasn't great but reflecting back, I finished my season in mid-December last year. I think I rushed too quickly to be fit for Singapore because it meant so much to me and I overcooked it. "I fit too much in and wasn't quite there. It's not how I usually perform. "I was upset about it after the race but I just had to accept it and move on because I knew it wasn't anywhere near what I'm capable of." The T100 Triathlon World Tour takes in locales as varied as Vancouver, London, the French Riviera, Valencia, Lake Las Vegas and Dubai over the course of a globetrotting campaign. And having finished runner-up last year, Gentle has an eye on going one step further, beginning with this Saturday's Stateside showdown. She added: "The fields have always been exceptionally good and you have new faces this year. "Everyone's coming out and delivering really quickly because they're putting a lot of importance on the racing and are excited about the series. "Everyone has trained for it and is ready for it so it's about just getting to each race and seeing how you stack up and seeing how you can put good races together and not be off the mark. "Kate [Waugh] did really well. She's a super strong athlete, most people knew that and for her to convert to t100 and win her first ever event was a huge moment for her. "You could tell she was happy and super excited and it was nice to see that elation on her face when she crossed the finish line. "There were a lot of us who wished we were closer in the competition but she's really fit right now and deserved that win. "A huge group of us are looking at her and how she set the bar really high this season and it's about us getting to that level." Watch the world's top 20 female and top 20 male triathletes race live in the San Francisco T100 over the legendary Escape From Alcatraz course on Saturday 31 May. The broadcast starts at 0545 local time, 1345 in the UK, with the races starting 15 minutes later. You can tune in live for free globally on PTO+ or watch on partners channels such as TNT Sports 2 in the UK, Max or Discovery+ in Europe, or beIN in North America. For more details visit
